Continue reading »]]> MXF is a file format for the exchange of programme material between servers, tape streamers and to digital archives. MXF bundles together video, audio, and programme data, such as text – together termed essence – along with metadata and places them into a wrapper. MXF does not force the use of certain video or audio compression types but also the internal index and partition structure can vary. The body can be based on several different types of material (essence) including MPEG, DV and uncompressed video and audio, it also uses the SMPTE KLV data coding system, which has the advantage of being a recognized standard.

• See also: What is MXF | What can MXF do

The MXF container is not so widely accepted as MP4, QuickTime MOV, and M4V format. Neither does QuickTime plays MXF format nor does iTunes stream MXF files. Professional editing software like Final Cut Pro and Avid support a range of MXF footage (but not all of them), while iMovie won’t let your import MXF to at all. That’s where MXF Converter comes in (learn how to convert MXF files on Mac). This article outlines the Free and Best 6 MXF Converters for Mac programs reviewed, go ahead to learn and compare them by yourself.

• Pavtube MXF Converter for Mac
• Aiseesoft MXF Converter for Mac
• Calibrated{Q} MXF Import
• MXF4mac Player
• MXF Import QT
• Pavtube Media Magician for Mac

1. Pavtube MXF Converter for Mac

Pavtube MXF Converter for Mac is an easy-to-use and intuitive Mac tool for users of Panasonic P2 camcorders and Canon XF series cameras. It lets you imports P2 MXF, XDCAM, and Canon XF .mxf footage and export editable Apple ProRes/DVCPRO/HDV/Avid DNxHD/AIC codec so as to import to video editing software like iMovie, Final Cut Pro (X), Final Cut Express, Avid Media Composer, Adobe Premiere, and more. More than generating editable files for video editing software, Pavtube Mac MXF Converter also comes with optimized format presets for almost all popular multimedia devices, such as iPad, the new iPad 3, iPhone, iTouch, Apple TV 3, Motorola Xoom, Asus Transformer Pad Infinity 700, Google Nexus 7 Android 4.1 Tablet, Samsung Galaxy S3, Acer Iconia Tab, Samsung Galaxy Tab, HTC Evo 4G, Samsung Galaxy X S II, PS Vita, PS3, Xbox 360, etc. In general, the Pavtube MXF Converter for Mac offers best MXF Playback and Import solutions with its extensive output options and flexible settings.

System Requirements:

• Mac OS X Leopard (10.5), Snow Leopard (10.6), Lion (10.7), Mountain Lion (10.8)
• 1G Hz or above Intel processor
• 512 MB physical RAM (memory) or above
• 1024*768 or higher resolution display.

Price: $29

2. Aiseesoft MXF Converter for Mac

Aiseesoft MXF Converter for Mac can convert MXF file to other popular video format like MP4, MPG, 3GP, MKV, AVI, WMV, FLV, VOB, SWF, DV, M4V, and MOV, etc. on Mac. Also this application supports converting MXF to 3D videos on Mac. You are allowed to convert MXF recordings to other video format that can play well on any portable devices such iPad 2, The new iPad, iPhone 4S, iPod, Apple TV, and Android devices, etc. It also has multiple editing functions to help you edit different MXF recordings instead of professional video editing software.

System Requirements:

• Mac OS X 10.5 or above
• Intel processor
• 512MB RAM, Super VGA (800×600) resolution
• 16-bit graphics card or higher

Price: $29

3. Calibrated{Q} MXF Import

Calibrated{Q} Import components are QuickTime components for NATIVE Importing and Playback of supported MXF or XDCAM EX MP4 Files in QuickTime Player and CatDV on Windows & OSX, and in Final Cut Studio 2 & 3 Applications, and in Final Cut Pro X (MXF files only) and other QuickTime enabled applications on OSX. With Calibrated{Q} MXF Import, you can import and work with DNxHD .MXF files in Adobe Premiere Pro CS 5.0/5.5/6.0, Adobe After Effects CS 5.0/5.5/6.0, or Adobe Media Encode CS 5.0/5.5/6.0.

System Requirements: Mac OSX (Intel) 10.5/10.6/10.7

Price: Free for 30 days

4. MXF4mac Player

MXF4mac Player can open most MXF variations. It supports, XDCAM HD, AVC-Intra, JPEG2000 (optional with J2K Codec) , DNxHD, HDV, Uncompressed SD/HD, Uncompressed Avid 10 bit, DVC-Pro HD, IMX-D10,DV, Meridien, Sony Proxy and more.The MXF4mac Player is also able to play Panasonic P2 XML documents like movie files with video and audio linked together. Of course it is compatible to QuickTime movies and more (e.g. .mp4, .avi, .m4v, .wav, .aif, .aiff). Open or just drag nearly any flavour of MXF files into the MXF4mac Player to watch it, even in full screen.

System Requirements: Mac OS X v10.6, v10.7, v10.8

Price: $0 (freeware)

5. MXF Import QT

MXF Import QT is an advanced MXF reader for QuickTime that supports MXF variations from broadcast media, ingest, transcoding, playout devices, hard disk recorders, and MXF-based software. MXF Import QT is a versatile solution for direct conversion-free, real-time MXF access and editing that works with Final Cut Studio, Final Cut Server, and Logic Pro. It allows natively open and access a broad range of MXF variations without converting or referencing to the QuickTime movie format. The unique integration enables Final Cut Studio, Final Cut Server and other solutions to directly work with native MXF media.

System Requirements: Mac OS X v10.6, v10.7, v10.8

Price: 499 EUR

6. Media Magician for Mac

Pavtube Media Magician for Mac is a useful timeline-oriented video editor and converter. It helps edit and convert not only camcorder videos, but also MXF, MTS, TS, Tivo, MKV, FLV, and so on for further editing in non-linear editing software, watching on iOS/Android/Windows RT tablets and phones, or direct uploading to YouTube.

It features smart camcorder wizard, lossless trim/cut MTS/M2TS frame by frame, preset optimized output formats, Apple ProRes encoding (for Mac only), 3D effect adding, and more for you to explore.

Nowadays, kinds of camcorders record videos in HD or Full HD. Professional Photographers like to edit their camera clips without quality lossless. So as to keep the video quality as good as original. With a mac computer, there are many useful editing software. Like FCP (X), FCE, iMovie, Adobe Premiere, Avid Studio, iPhoto etc. If you often use such editing software, you may find, each editing software has the most suitable codec for editing. Which will help us maintain video quality to a large extent. For example, FCP series prefer Apple ProRes codec, while Apple Intermediate Codec (AIC) is most suitable for iMovie or FCE. However, our camcorders record videos in kinds of video formats, when you import them into the editing software, sometimes, it will take a long time for rendering. In fact, it’s the process of transcoding.

System Requirements:

• Mac OS X Leopard (10.5), Snow Leopard (10.6), Lion (10.7), Mountain Lion (10.8)
• 1G Hz or above Intel processor.
• 512 MB physical RAM (memory) or above.
• 1024*768 or higher resolution display.

Price: $49